Psalms 81:6
I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.
Original Language Analysis
שִׁכְמ֑וֹ
his shoulder
H7926
שִׁכְמ֑וֹ
his shoulder
Strong's:
H7926
Word #:
3 of 6
the neck (between the shoulders) as the place of burdens; figuratively, the spur of a hill
כַּ֝פָּ֗יו
his hands
H3709
כַּ֝פָּ֗יו
his hands
Strong's:
H3709
Word #:
4 of 6
the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-
Cross References
Isaiah 9:4For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.Isaiah 10:27And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.Exodus 6:6Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:Matthew 11:29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Historical Context
Exodus 1:11-14 describes Israel's brutal forced labor under Egyptian taskmasters, making bricks without straw. This oppression intensified for 80 years until Moses's call. God's deliverance through the ten plagues and Red Sea crossing demonstrated that no human power could prevent His redemptive purpose. The Feast of Unleavened Bread commemorated this sudden liberation (Exodus 12:33-34).
Questions for Reflection
- What burdens and 'baskets' (enslaving habits, false masters) has Christ removed from your shoulders, and do you live in that freedom?
- How does understanding salvation as 'exchange of masters' rather than 'total autonomy' shape Christian discipleship?
- In what ways can Christians fall back into 'Egypt's bondage' after initial deliverance, and how is this prevented?
Analysis & Commentary
I removed his shoulder from the burden (הֲסִירוֹתִי מִסֵּבֶל שִׁכְמוֹ)—God speaks directly, recalling how He lifted the crushing weight (sevel) of brick-making from Israelite shoulders. This physical deliverance from slavery imagery appears throughout Scripture (Exodus 1:11-14, 6:6-7). His hands were delivered from the pots (dûd, baskets)—the vessels used to carry clay and bricks for Pharaoh's building projects.
The exodus was fundamentally about exchanging one master for another: from Pharaoh's cruel slavery to the Lord's loving service (Exodus 4:23, 'Let my people go that they may serve me'). This is the gospel pattern—Christ delivers us from sin's burden (Matthew 11:28-30) to take His easy yoke. True freedom isn't autonomy but joyful submission to the right master.